Tuesday, June 05, 2007

St Boniface of Crediton: Apostle to German Tribes


Today is the feast of St Boniface, I find it fascinating that it is monks that convert barbarians, the truth is of course that diocesan clergy were tied by oaths of obedience to their diocesan bishop, a sort of marriage in the past, now a sort of management arrangement, but monks were freer despitre the vow of stability.

Monks presented a glimpse of the Kingdom of God to a society that was ruled by the arbitary will of pagan Gods, the teaching of the Gospels replaced the whim of their rulers.

What was so effective was that the people could see the gospel lived out, in what Cardinal Hume referred to as the "civilisation of love". Today more than ever we need both "religious communities and strong Catholic families open to children, if only there was one in my parish! But God is the giver of all things - please, God.

3 comments:

fr paul harrison said...

It does amuse me that the English St Boniface is a patron saint of Germany!

fr paul harrison

Anagnostis said...

English? Scots!!

Fr Ray Blake said...

Scots? Cornish!!!

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